Guild Wars 2

So I was bopping around Blazeridge Steppes, when without warning these blue spheres called Spectral Flames start showing up. They’re invincible and their sole purpose in life seems to blow you up. They also take a good chunk of health. It got to a point where five of them were spawning at once and I was demolished. This was after spending a good hour avoiding them. What are they, why do they exist, and who in development thought it was a good idea to have murder balls randomly show up to squat in my cheerios?

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Spectral_Flame

Kind of like slow artillery without the cannon. ANet used a similar mechanic in the Charr area of the Queen’s Pavilion (in iteration 1, didn’t go in in iteration 2, so no idea if they were still there). Those were floating weapons which looked like the Spectral Weapons in Orr or the Guardian Spirit Weapons, except they did nasty damage and could also not be harmed.

I’m also not a fan of this stuff. However, my take on why it’s in the game is to complicate encounters by introducing FX that have to be avoided rather than killed.

This seems to be a bug linked to characters who have completed that stage of the Living Story, but who have not yet completed the World Summit. The Spectral Flames continue to spawn and attack them, but only in Blazeridge Steppes (and only in Branded areas). I had the bug once, but it disappeared a while back and hasn’t come back. From memory, it stopped round the point when I completed the World Summit on all my characters.

Zaxares.5419, I’ve never done that Living Story yet.

Hmm, that’s weird. And you were the only player in the area? Once the orbs spawn, they will randomly attack whichever player is closest.

Zaxares.5419 I don’t know if they were spawning for other people, but they did attack other people after they spawned near me.

I’ve completed it and am getting these spectral flames in the brand. tbh it’s a fun mixup =)

Obviously you have been targeted for termination. Please stand still while the process takes place. You may feel a slight tingling sensation…

Ugggg….Same thing is happening to me in Blazeridge Steppes. I stand up again and am immediately blasted = certain death. I’m outta here for now!